


Kat's Journey: a Pokémon Shield Adventure

by Im_a_nerd



Series: Kat's Journey [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Bede can suck a lemon, Gen, Gloria is being renamed Kat, Kat is here to protect Hop's honor, Marnie is best rival, Not Beta Read, Original Artwork, POV First Person, Unreliable Narrator, no Kat is definitely not still salty, spoiler warning for the plot of the entire game, the narrator is a child, until he apologizes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 08:47:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30052902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Im_a_nerd/pseuds/Im_a_nerd
Summary: The interpretation of my game play of Pokémon Shield.This is not my usual style of writing, but I had so much fun with the game that I had to type everything up that I could remember.  Please judge this as its own story and do not compare it with my other stories.
Series: Kat's Journey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210859
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Backstory

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a fever dream after I beat the game, so some things may be wrong or out of order; I just wrote everything by memory.

My name is Gloria Katherine. I go by “Kat”.  
This is the story of my journey through the Galar region, but before I get to that, I wanted to tell you a little bit about me.

  


I didn’t grow up in Postwick. My mom and I moved there after our relative passed. It was their house. I was 8 years old. My dad passed away when I was even younger; I don’t remember it well. Mom took good care of us, though. We were happy, and when we inherited the house in Postwick, I was okay moving there. It’s a beautiful home, and Mom took the little garden in the front and cultivated it. It flourished under her care. She made this little house into our home. Our Pokémon were happy, and I was happy.  
  
I met the neighbors and the other locals. We were warned to stay out of the woods, but I knew to stay out anyway. It’s pretty universal wherever you live that there are some areas that kids shouldn’t travel alone. If you don’t have any Pokémon with you, then things can be dangerous. I didn’t have any Pokémon of my own, so I knew where not to go.  
  
The neighbors are a big family, and they can be loud. They’re really fun. There’s a son my age named Hop. He brought me into his friend group really quick. Since I was new, I let him, and as we got closer, I got used to following him and chasing after him. He was fun and energetic, and he had this excitement about him, this boundless energy.  
  
I never knew what was going to come next when we hung out, but whenever he challenged me to a race, I always followed after him. He was always so far ahead of me, but he’d always wait for me to catch up after the race. Then he’d laugh, and he’d invite me to race again. Even though I always failed, always lost, he never gave up on me. He’s my friend.  
  
He has an older brother named Leon; Hop calls him Lee. I don’t know Leon; I’ve never met him. I’ve seen his picture on the mantle, and I hear stories from Hop and his mother. I finally got to see him in action when his championship match was shown on the telly, and okay, Hop has a point: his brother is an amazing trainer.  
  
Once Hop started showing me Leon’s battles, I got dazzled, too. I wanted to be a strong trainer like Leon. I wanted to challenge him and see if I could win, just like Hop. But unlike Hop, I didn’t mean I wanted to become the Champion; I just wanted to know if I could defeat Leon. It’d be really cool if I could meet him someday; I wonder if he’d give me his autograph?  
  
Hop’s mom was always really nice. She’d invite my mother and I over for dinner and barbeques, and we’d come for birthday parties and New Year’s. She’s a sweet and including woman who never forgot about us. I’m glad she and my mom are friends.  
  
Hop’s grandparents also live in the house. I don’t remember my grandparents, so it’s really nice that Hop still knows his. I don’t really know what to talk about with them, though, so I don’t spend much time around them. My mom taught me to respect my elders, so I always make sure to say “hi”, but I think all the adults know that I’m here to hang out with Hop.


	2. In Game

  
At the beginning of my journey, Hop called me his rival. He decided that we were rivals, and I just went with it. I think when I told him that I wanted to fight Leon, too, he decided we were rivals. Which makes sense, but it was a little jarring. Hop’s always been competitive, but I thought we could just stay friends. I didn’t realize that us having the same goal (different dreams, though) meant we had to compete for that, too.  
  
So, I became his rival. It’s not much of a rivalry. Once he decided we were rivals, he made _everything_ a competition. Who can get there first? Rivalry. Who can eat the most barbeque? Rivalry. Who has the most Pokémon? Rivalry. Who has an older brother that’s the Champion? Rivalry. But I went with it because he’s my friend.  
  
Leon’s the one who gave us our first Pokémon; he got them from Professor Magnolia. He was so impatient for Hop to start his journey that he brought the Pokémon straight to us instead of making us go to the Professor or wait for the Professor to come to us. She’s getting older, and she’s really busy. I don’t mind that Leon brought us our starters. I even liked that he supervised our first battle, but I didn’t like how he said the battle was to kickstart Hop’s journey. It’s like I was just supposed to become fodder for Hop.  
  
Leon supported Hop to take the gym challenge. I got invited along as an afterthought because Leon wanted Hop to have a rival to continue battling against. I understand the brotherly love, but I’m the one who won the battle, and it was treated like a fluke. It wasn’t even a minor achievement. Leon didn’t even seem to think that it could happen again, but he invited me to join the gym challenge anyway. I’d really like to show him that I am a good trainer and a natural at Pokémon battles.  
  
  
I kind of wish Leon didn’t put as much emphasis on rivalries as Hop does. I guess I can see where Hop gets it; he wants to be just like his big brother. Leon sees Hop, knows his dreams, and spurs him on. I’m just along for the ride. Leon includes me because I’m Hop’s friend and by extension, Hop’s rival. Leon hopes that having me be Hop’s rival will push Hop forward. Leon doesn’t even see me as a person. To be fair, I don’t know if Leon sees anybody for who they are.  
  
I learn pretty quick that that’s not necessarily true. He sees Sonia. I wonder if they used to journey together. Were they ever rivals? They seem like old friends. She seems like she puts up with Leon’s shenanigans kind of like I put up with Hop’s. She’s used to it, and I’m not sure what that says about Hop and me. Will Hop ever notice me as more than a rival, or will he write me off as a rival like Leon wrote off Sonia? It kind of seems like Leon left Sonia behind, but it also seems like she gave up trying to keep up. I like that they’re still friends, but I don’t ever want to give up racing behind Hop.  
  
Leon also sees Professor Magnolia as her own person. She’s Sonia’s grandmother, and the region’s professor on Pokémon. I think she gave Leon and Sonia their starter Pokémon back when they started their journey. She knows everything there is to know about Galar and its Pokémon, and Leon seems to have the utmost respect for her.  
  
Then there’s Chairman Rose. He’s mostly a business man, but he seems pretty influential. I think he sponsors a lot of the gyms and the entire gym challenge system? He owns every business in Galar, I think. He’s also always in a hurry, but he works a lot with Leon. I’m not sure if Leon likes him very much, but he always takes the time to meet with the Chairman. I think that’s nice of him. Chairman Rose seems to really care about Galar and its future. He also sponsored his own trainer for the gym challenge. Apparently, that’s a pretty big deal.  
  
There’s one other person that Leon sees and that’s his actual rival, Raihan. They talk to and about each other with a competitive fondness. All they think about is their next battle and how they’re going to train to take the other on again and again. I wonder if Raihan journeyed with Leon and Sonia? Did he get his starter from Professor Magnolia?  
  
When I see their fire for battle, I wonder if maybe that’s what Hop wants from me as a rival. He’s always going on about fighting me, and I won’t back away from any battle, but I just don’t enjoy fighting him. A spar, sure, or training, but my goal has never been to fight Hop. I wonder if Hop realizes that… Would he be disappointed if I don’t see him as the same kind of rival as Raihan sees Leon? I’d better not tell him…  
  
Other than that, Leon’s pretty fixated on being the Champion. Everything he does is because he’s the Champion. He makes appearances, takes on challengers, and travels the region as the Champion. He always seems so busy, and he’s always looking forward to whatever comes next. I wonder what his ultimate goal is… Is this what it means to be the Champion? Was this his dream?  
  
  
Along our journey, we met Bede, Chairman Rose’s sponsored trainer. He’s even more conceited than Hop when it comes to battling. Hop at least sees me as his friend, so his challenges don’t have much bite, and I know he wants to become the Champion someday. Bede, though; he’s just too focused on being chosen by the Chairman. He wants to prove that he was the right choice for the Chairman’s favor. I was never going to question him on it; I don’t know him or the Chairman, but he’s really obnoxious about it. He goes on and on about wishing stars, but I don’t know much about them. I don’t know what he’s trying to prove. Like Hop, though, and like Leon, he disregards whenever I beat him in a battle…  
  
  
Along the journey, I keep running into Team Yell, and they tell me about a girl named Marnie that they’re supporting. They seem like her overly aggressive fan club. Their behavior makes me wonder what Marnie’s really like. I wonder what she did to get such an excited fan club? Really, the only thing I know about her is what she looks like, and that’s only because they keep waving posters of her in my face. I don’t hold their bad behavior against her.  
  
I do meet Marnie pretty quickly after Team Yell. I like that she gets onto them, but she doesn’t seem very harsh with them. I kind of wish she would reprimand them more; they might listen to her since they adore her so much, but she doesn’t seem very concerned with them. I don’t think she ever asked them to come with her on her journey…  
  
After we battle, she declares that I’m her rival. She wants to beat the Champion like Hop does, but our rivalry feels different. Maybe it’s because we’ve just met or because we’re not really friends like Hop and I are, or maybe it’s just that she doesn’t disregard my win. She doesn’t praise it either, though; she just says she’ll win next time. I’d like to see her try. Where did that come from...? Is this what a rivalry is supposed to feel like?  
  
She gives me one of her trainer cards, and after I read the back later, I find out that she wants to beat the Champion but that she gets easily distracted by boutiques and clothing stores. I do, too! I wonder if she’d ever want to go shopping with me? I’d like to ask her and be her friend someday. I’m really excited to see her again. I hope she makes it all the way through the gym challenge so we can keep battling!  
  
  
Throughout the gym challenges, the number of competitors keeps dropping. It was really crowded at the beginning, but even by the third gym, the numbers are thinning out. Hop, Bede, Marnie, and I are still competing, but the competitors I used to see are slowly vanishing. They’re giving up to try again another year or they’re giving up completely. It’s pretty sad to see. I hope none of my rivals give up.  
  
  
I’m wrong. I wouldn’t mind if Bede gave up. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve beaten him and Hop and Marnie, but Hop’s starting to get self-conscious from his losses, and Bede challenged him, anyway. I don’t know what happened during their battle, but after it, Hop’s broken. He doesn’t want to battle me anymore; he doesn’t even want to think about challenging his brother; Hop wants to quit. Bede, what did you do to him!?  
  
Even after I beat Bede, he doesn’t apologize about Hop. The next time I see Hop, he still won’t look me in the eye. Hop won’t team up with me for double battles, and he keeps losing every fight when I’m around. He’s really upset, and he even takes Wooloo off his team. Wooloo was his first Pokémon, his pride and joy… Hop, what happened? Isn’t there something I can do?  
-are you ok pic-  
  
  
Bede gets dropped by Chairman Rose; he’s not a gym challenger anymore. I’m not happy about this; I’m just mad at Bede. He destroyed a national monument just to get some wishing stars, and he used Chairman Rose’s Pokémon to do it. I can see why Chairman Rose dropped his sponsorship, and honestly, I’m disgusted by Bede’s behavior. He was always too fixated on the wishing stars. He seems shattered by being dropped, but how could he not see this coming? He _destroyed_ part of our nation’s history using _Chairman Rose’s_ Pokémon! Chairman Rose loves Galar!  
  
The only critique I have of the situation is that Chairman Rose should’ve kept a closer eye on Bede, maybe give him more instruction. Apparently, Bede was collecting wishing stars on Chairman Rose’s orders. Chairman Rose should’ve met with him more and maybe emphasized not to take things too far. It would’ve spared the monument and Hop and Bede could’ve kept going with the gym challenge. Instead, it’s just a loss all around.  
  
Hop still hasn’t been able to look me in the eye, and he’s still changing out his team left and right. Even Sonia can tell that something’s wrong, but I don’t know how to fix it…  
  
  
  
I take on the Fairy type gym, and I pass every question the trainers and gym leader throw at me. She’s trying to find a replacement to succeed her. She quizzed Sonia, Leon, and many others, but none of them had the right quality she was looking for. It takes more than a perfect score, but I wonder if I can do it? I’ve never considered being a gym leader before, but I think it might be nice. It’s kind of exciting to think about. Maybe she’d let me take on Leon before becoming the gym leader?  
  
Even though I pass her quiz and defeat her, I’m not who she wants to succeed her. It kind of stings, but I can’t fault her. It’s her gym and her decision. But the first time she sees Bede, she decides he would be the perfect candidate to succeed her. I can’t disagree more, but after hearing how hard she works her trainers and after seeing Bede’s terrified face, I guess I don’t mind her taking him into training. It might do him some good; he really needs to learn some respect for other trainers. Maybe she can set him straight. If nothing else, he needs a good beating.  
  
I’m still bitter about Hop, but it’s out of my hands…  
  
  
During all of this, Leon’s been busy helping the region. Things keep going wrong with wild Pokémon Dynamaxing in random locations. Whenever I try to help, Leon pushes me away. He says he just wants me to focus on the gym challenge, but I could help with these crises! He doesn’t give me any time to talk; he’s always running towards the next disaster and brushing me aside. I want to tell him about Hop. Maybe he could help his little brother, but Leon’s too busy being a hero for everyone else…  
  
  
By the seventh gym, Hop’s no longer ahead of me. He’s taking a break from the gym challenge. I’m not sure how he’s always stayed ahead of me, but he’s given up, at least for now. He wants to regroup, and all I can do is wish him the best and cheer him on. He’s no longer upset with me, but his fighting spirit is still broken. I hug him and hope that he’ll catch up soon.  
-take care ok? Pic-  
It’s just me and Marnie left, and the Dark type gym leader is her older brother. Spikemuth is her hometown. The city is a bit grungy and it’s full of punk music. Marnie helps sneak me into the city when Team Yell closes the entrance; their support is strongest here, but Marnie’s taught me to ignore them. Her brother, Piers, doesn’t use Dynamaxing on his Pokémon. I’m not sure why? But after I beat him, I end up passing Marnie, too. I believe she’ll catch up; we’re almost at the championship!  
  
Piers invites her to take over as the Dark type gym leader, but she turns him down. She has her eyes set on the Champion’s seat. I can’t believe how relieved I am; I was scared I’d lose another friend, that someone else would find a different path that didn’t involve becoming Champion and that I’d be alone on this journey. It’s weird not having Hop around to keep me focused.  
  
  
When I go to fight Raihan, this isn’t the first time we’ve met. I’ve met him a couple times while passing through Hammerlocke, and I was never very impressed with him. I’ve always wondered why Leon acknowledges him as a rival and why Raihan’s held to such high esteem by his fans.  
  
When I challenge him, we don’t go to the stadium like I thought. He has me fight his trainers in the sanctuary, and Raihan knows them all by name. I can see why people respect him now. Despite all his selfies, he’s really genuine about the quality of battles and the strength of his trainers. He doesn’t display my trial battles in the lime light like every other gym leader. This way, I can lose with dignity and the world doesn’t have to know.  
  
Except that I win. And when it’s time to fight Raihan himself, we go to the big stadium so that our battle can be displayed on the big screen. _He_ loses with dignity, and he’s the first one who says I have a real chance of beating Leon. He gives me all my rewards in person and tells me that I inspired him to aim past Leon. He’s been too complacent about being Leon’s rival. He gave up beating Leon without even realizing it, but now, he’s motivated again.  
  
I can see where he’s coming from. Leon keeps shooting everyone down and overlooking them. As the Champion, his ego’s gotten too big. I think he’s forgotten what it means to really enjoy battles and rivalries. This shouldn’t just be about winning a title. What’s so great about being the Champion?  
  
With Raihan’s support, I’m finally excited about fighting Leon again. I’m ready to knock that airheaded big brother off his pedestal, and then maybe he’ll pay attention to the disaster that’s befallen Hop. Maybe the brothers can help each other get back to reality.  
  
  
I face Marnie during the challenger tournament, and I beat her. It seems like she’s considering becoming the next Dark type gym leader after all. I think it’s only temporary until the next gym challenge. She wishes me luck in taking down Leon, and I really appreciate it. <3  
  
  
When I fight through the gym leader tournament, I’m faced with Bede. He forced his way in, and the judges allowed it because they thought it’d be entertaining. He’s the reluctant new gym leader for Fairy types. I still don’t like his attitude. He talks about Opal poorly, and I have no qualms about beating him soundly.  
  
He throws a tantrum and wants to quit being a trainer all together, but that’s not what I want! That’s not what I’ve ever wanted! I just want him to repent his misdeeds and better himself now that he’s not having to follow the Chairman’s directive anymore! I want to see him take _his_ journey!  
  
Thankfully, the crowd roots for him, too, and like a tsundere, Bede decides to keep being a trainer. He even accepts more training from Opal to become a better gym leader. I’m glad he’s on the right path now. I hope Opal is able to be a good influence on him. I still haven’t fully forgiven him for Hop, but I won’t keep holding a grudge. He should still apologize, though.  
  
  
Before I go out to face Leon, Hop comes to cheer me on. He’s actually really happy for me for making it this far. I think he’s finally realized that he’s been underestimating me this whole time. Now, I’m finally on his radar as a good trainer, and I’m so happy. He actually hopes that I’ll beat Leon, and that’s higher praise than I ever expected from Hop. He’s finally able to see _me_ again, and in this moment, I’m finally something other than a rival to him: I’m his friend.  
  
I hug him tight. I feel like I finally have a chance. If I could get through to Hop and get Hop to acknowledge me, then surely Leon will acknowledge me, as well. I’ve come so far; I’ve surpassed all my rivals and beaten all the gym leaders -some _twice_. Surely, my hero, Leon, will see me as an actual adversary. Maybe he’ll get that thrill of battle again. Maybe he’ll realize I’m a challenge.  
  
When I step out to fight him, Leon disregards me. He’s excited that he’ll get to trounce someone in front of this huge crowd and get even more recognition as the undefeatable Champion. I want to stomp him. Chairman Rose saves his face, though, by releasing the Darkest Day. So, now we have to go deal with that.  
  
  
Hop and I team up to deal with that. Leon runs ahead -as usual- to take care of the biggest bad while Hop and I lag behind to take out every other threat. Hop’s not rushing off ahead anymore; I’m finally keeping up on my own. We have to face Chairman Rose, and I’m so sad to see his misguided love for Galar. This man has done so much for this region; why did he have to take things so far? Maybe in time, he’ll reflect and figure out a better way to help our future…  
  
At the top of the tower, Leon’s fighting Eternatus. Everyone assumes he’ll be able to catch the legendary without any problems, but I still wanted to come here. Because what if they’re wrong? Up close, I can’t help but admire Leon’s battle prowess. I feel like a kid again, sitting in Hop’s room and watching Leon’s championship match. He’s really amazing. But he still loses.  
  
It’s only through our combined efforts that the threat is taken care of. Even the Sword and Shield of legend have to jump in to help. With everyone supporting each other, we’re able to bring an end to the Darkest Day. The one who catches Eternatus is me.  
  
  
After two days to rest, Leon still wants to challenge me. He’s raring to go, and honestly, I am, too. I’m glad he’s still so set on our match. It’s important to me, too. This has been my dream, and after seeing him fight up close, I want this more than ever. I want to see if I can defeat Leon; am I a good enough trainer to beat him?  
  
I am. I become the new Champion.  
  
  
I don’t know what to do as the new Champion. I don’t want to travel the region beating up random Dynamax Pokémon. I don’t want to be everyone’s savior. It’s true I’ve never lost a match, but I didn’t want Leon’s _job_ ; I just wanted his recognition. I just wanted the best trainer I’ve ever seen to say that I’m a good trainer, too.  
  
I go to find Hop. I wonder how he’s doing. Will he forgive me for becoming Champion instead of him? Hop’s not home, but I have a good chat with his mother. She seems happy about everything. Leon visits more, and according to her, Hop’s enjoying this new dynamic with his brother who no longer has the stress of being Champion. They’re both just trainers now.  
-Dubwool pic-  
At least something good came from me becoming the new Champion. I’m glad Hop has a better relationship with his brother. And he still wants to defeat Leon, too; that’s awesome!  
  
Up in Leon’s room, he’s left me a baby Charmander. I remember raising my Troxicity from a baby, and I think that this might be a better journey for me. I’ll be my own kind of Champion, one that’s different than any Galar has had before! But I still want to find Hop and talk to him about it. It’s a big deal.  
  
I find Hop in the Slumbering Weald. He’s not as okay as his mom made him sound. He’s still pretty shaken about losing to me, especially now that I’ve beaten Leon. He doesn’t have confidence in himself. What have I done…?  
  
A distraction presents itself in the form of two idiot brothers -and no, they’re not Hop and Leon; I don’t even know where Leon _is_ anymore. These two want to take over Galar because they’re descended from the original king of legend -as if bloodlines give anyone the capacity to rule.  
  
They run off and start wreaking havoc across the region, and thankfully, Hop agrees to help me take care of them. Piers also teams up with us, and we go to each Dynamax power spot to subdue whatever poor Pokémon they’ve triggered this time. We get new allies at each location, but as things get worse, we have to split up.  
  
Hop started this expedition with me doubting himself, but as he repeatedly takes down Dynamax Pokémon alone, he seems to get more confidence. Piers is also the best motivator I’ve ever seen; maybe it’s because he’s a big brother. Hop needs that kind of encouragement, and I’m so grateful to Piers; it’s not something I had the power to do.  
  
We corner the brothers, but they’ve aggravated the Sword of legend, forcing it into a rampage. The Shield arrives to help us subdue it, and with its help, we manage. The Sword runs off, and Hop follows it. The Shield sees my strength and recognizes me as a good trainer. It patiently joins my team, and I name it Hero because it is one. It has always been one, and I’m so grateful it wants to travel with me for a while. The brothers are arrested, and I race after Hop.  
  
He's back in the Slumbering Weald. He’s still handling the Sword, but he’s being so gentle with it. He talks it through its panic and rage, and when it finally snaps out of it, it joins his team. Hop’s been recognized by a hero of legend.  
  
Leon comes back, and he’s escorting the two brothers. They’ve come to apologize. They let their pride go to their heads, and they realize the havoc they created could’ve led to a calamity. They hurt so many Pokémon, and they’re sorry.  
  
Before they’re led away, Leon talks to Hop and I. He congratulates us for fighting so hard and for being so strong. Through our own valor, we were chosen by heroes of Galar. He’s so proud of us, and he’s excited to see where our journeys take us. If we ever want to challenge him, he’ll be in the battle tower. He’s been fixing it up since Chairman Rose was removed.  
  
He tells Hop that he wants to fight him, and Hop is beside himself. He’s been recognized by his big brother, and I’m so happy for him. Leon also tells me that he sees how strong I am. He doesn’t mind that he lost the championship to me, and he looks forward to challenging me again for it. He finally sees me as a strong trainer. He leads the brothers away, and now it’s just Hop and I.  
  
Hop challenges me to a match, one final fight. This isn’t as a rival, though, or even as the Champion. This is just him and me, fighting as ourselves. His confidence is back, and man, I am having trouble keeping eye contact now. My heart’s beating out of my chest! Confidence looks good on him; I’d forgotten that. It’s been so long since I’ve seen it. He’ll be one heck of a trainer someday if he keeps that self-assurance.  
  
It’s a tough match. I know most of his team, and they’re not a problem, but the Sword of legend is on a whole other level. It takes out half my team with a single hit each. It’s _way_ offensively stronger than the Shield -no offense, Hero! With a lot of luck and several potions, my team prevails.  
  
Hop reflects on his journey, from his admiration of Leon to wanting to become Champion and all the battles he’s fought along the way. He travels his emotional scope and explores the maturity he’s found along the way. He’s grown so much, and now, he’s ready to find his own path, away from his brother’s shadow.  
  
Hop wants to become a Pokémon professor. He’s fallen in love with the region and all the mysteries it holds. He wants to learn more about the different Pokémon, and he clearly has a knack for handling them. He’s ready to graduate from being my rival.  
  
But where does that leave me? I never wanted to become Champion, but I was looking forward to us continuing to fight and train together. Will I not see him out on routes anymore? He’ll be at the lab with Sonia now. I… I’m not okay with this… but I want Hop to be happy.  
  
Becoming a professor is a long and difficult journey. He has a lot of learning to do, and Sonia’s not going to take it easy on him. She only recently earned her Professor’s coat from her grandmother, and she has plenty of tasks for a new assistant to do. I’m sure I won’t see Hop very much for a while.  
  
  
Marnie has also moved on from being my rival. She’s accepted the role of gym leader from her brother. After helping with all the Dynamax Pokémon, Piers has retired, and Marnie loved her town too much to see it without a leader. In time, she’ll keep fighting her way to the championship title, but for now, she has other responsibilities.  
  
  
Bede is locked away in Ballonlea, training under Opal to become a great gym leader. I’m sure he’ll eventually pass all her tests to become the full-fledged gym leader, and then, he can come join the battle for the championship title. But in the meantime, the only way I’ll see him is if I go looking. And I have no intention of doing that. I never heard if he ever apologized to Hop.  
  
  
So that just leaves me. I’m the Champion, and I’m stuck with that title until someone comes around who can defeat me. And like Leon before me, I’ve never lost a match. But if someone does defeat me, they can have the title. I’ll gladly give it up.  
  
I just want to explore the region with my Pokémon. I’ve also fallen in love with Galar, and I love seeing Pokémon grow into their potential. That’s been the greatest joy of my journey. I hope Leon comes to challenge me soon. I’d love to give his title back to him. I’d rather be a trainer. <3  
  
  
Maybe someday when I’ve grown up a bit, I’ll be ready to take on all the responsibilities of being the Champion. And when that time comes, I’ll enter the championship challenge again and face my rivals Marnie, Bede, and Leon one more time.  
  
And when it’s all over, this time, I think it’ll be Hop that’s chasing after me just like Sonia always had to chase after Leon. Wouldn’t that be funny?  
-champion’s pic-  



End file.
